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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23711383">The Assessment</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mari_Writes/pseuds/Mari_Writes'>Mari_Writes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Slowly but Surely [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bokuto is worried about his looks, Canon Compliant, Canon Universe, Crushes, Developing Relationship, Fluff, Fukuroudani, Humor, Insecure Bokuto Koutarou, M/M, Pining Akaashi Keiji, Pre-Relationship, Sexual Tension, Volleyball, and Akaashi isn't having it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:00:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,320</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23711383</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mari_Writes/pseuds/Mari_Writes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bokuto expresses concern that he isn't good-looking. Akaashi decides to give his thoughts on the matter with a thorough assessment of his crush's physical attributes. Bokuto is shook.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akaashi Keiji &amp; Bokuto Koutarou, Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Slowly but Surely [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1720297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>634</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Assessment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello, everyone! This is my first fic on AO3. I recently decided I needed to write creatively again. Currently I work part-time for a newspaper, and for the past month the only thing I’ve been writing about is the virus. It’s been very depressing and sapping the life out of me. I wanted to find a way to write for fun again. Of course, as a longtime Bokuaka shipper, writing a story about them seemed like the perfect idea. I hope you all enjoy this little story! Please leave a comment to let me know if you'd like to see more!</p><p>P.S. If you can, please share it on <a href="https://mari-writes.tumblr.com/post/615861780420476928/the-assessment">Tumblr</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/mari_writes1/status/1276757502290325505">Twitter</a>!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There have been very few moments in Akaashi Keiji’s life that have truly left him speechless.</p><p>Granted, he was not really a vocal teenager to begin with. Most thoughts that filtered through Akaashi’s brain never left his lips—for better or for worse.</p><p>But being so shocked you couldn’t even think of what to say was a different story.</p><p>There was that one time when Akaashi was nine and he had learned his grandmother had died. Or at age 13 when his cousin had confided in him that she was dating a girl.</p><p>Then, of course, there was that fateful day when he walked into a volleyball gym and had seen a boy flying through the air, the picture of wild freedom and joy.</p><p>“Akaashi?”</p><p>Blinking, Akaashi looked up into the eyes of said boy—now a couple of inches taller and broader, his golden eyes wide and searching.</p><p>“Akaashi, did you hear what I asked?”</p><p><em>Obviously</em> Akaashi had heard him. Loud and clear. Crystal. Bokuto’s question was buzzing—no, pounding in his ears.</p><p>But Akaashi was speechless.</p><p>Bokuto had been acting sad for most of afternoon practice. True to form, Konoha had smacked the boy in the shoulder, while their coach demanded Bokuto pull himself together.</p><p>He had played decently, but there was still something off even after the rest of Fukurodani had left for the night, leaving he and Akaashi alone for their usual extra practice. Bokuto had only spiked five balls before he sighed dramatically, groaned and shrunk in on himself.</p><p>Akaashi had also sighed, preparing himself for whatever sort of pep talk may be required.</p><p>But then Bokuto had spun around, locking eyes with Akaashi and blurting out, in an uncharacteristically timid voice:</p><p>“Akaashi, do you think I’m attractive?”</p><p>Akaashi’s world had stopped.</p><p>Bokuto had never, in the year and a half they'd been teammates, said anything about his own appearance—apart from giving out unwanted advice about how he styled his hair. </p><p>And while Akaashi might use his surprise as an excuse for his frozen state, he knew it wasn’t the only reason.</p><p>Because <em>of course</em> he thought Bokuto was attractive. He had thought so from the moment he first laid eyes on him. And he kept getting more attractive, in Akaashi’s eyes, as he got older. As they became closer. As Akaashi’s feelings grew into something more, something deeper and meaningful.</p><p>But he couldn’t say any of that to Bokuto.</p><p>Could he?</p><p>Even after half a minute of silence, Akaashi still didn’t know how to respond. He kept eye contact with Bokuto, doing his best to not betray anything while his brain ran simulation after simulation. As time passed, he saw Bokuto grow worried.</p><p>“Um, Akaashi?” Bokuto asked again, his voice still small. He finally tore his eyes away to look at the ground. “You… you don’t have to reply if you don’t want to. It’s just… I heard some people talking. This guy said I only looked cool when playing volleyball! And the girl with him said I looked goofy! I thought… you know, you told me a while back that you were… um, you are, gay? Right? And I think that means you might be able to tell me… um, well, if I’m good-looking… or not?”</p><p>He said this all very fast.</p><p>And, well, Akaashi knew he couldn’t just let Bokuto feel this uncertain about himself. He had to tell him the truth—or at least part of it. He would have to be creative, though. Make it believable without being a full confession. </p><p>An assessment, maybe? An official evaluation of Bokuto’s physical attributes? </p><p>Yes. He could do that. Akaashi excelled at making lists and giving feedback. </p><p><em>Here goes nothing</em>, he thought, and swallowed his fear.</p><p>“Bokuto-san,” he said, as he slowly but surely walked toward his friend, stopping a few feet away. “If you want an honest assessment, I will give it to you.” He held his hands behind his back, angling his chin a bit higher.</p><p>“Oh!” Bokuto practically squeaked. “Oh, yeah, that’d be great, thanks!”</p><p>Akaashi nodded and took a deep breath.</p><p>“You have a very muscular torso, chest, arms and legs, which are common traits in traditional attractiveness,” he said matter-of-factly, relishing the way Bokuto’s eyes widened and his face immediately tinged pink. “The time you’ve spent training for and playing volleyball have put you in peak physical condition, which many people find pleasing.”</p><p>Akaashi couldn’t believe he was doing this. Fighting nervousness, he slowly began to walk around Bokuto, still keeping his distance and a professional aura. </p><p>“Akaashi, what are you…”</p><p>“Do you want a full assessment or not, Bokuto-san?” he said sternly, and Bokuto jumped slightly before nodding.</p><p>Akaashi bit back a smile.</p><p>“Your shoulders and back are very broad, another highly regarded characteristic,” he said, and steeled himself before allowing his eyes to move lower. “And you have firm, shapely buttocks.”</p><p>“Akaashi!” Bokuto gasped, and for a moment Akaashi worried he’d gone to far. But when he met his friend’s gaze again, he found surprise and—was that delight? Bokuto’s mouth was hanging open and his face was beet-red. </p><p>“Hmm?” Akaashi inquired innocently.</p><p>Bokuto shook his head, as a real smile began forming on his face. Oh, that face—Akaashi hadn’t even made it there yet. He completed his circle around the older boy, stopping where he’d began.</p><p>“You have a strong jaw and nose,” Akaashi said simply, “and full eyebrows. Your face is very expressive—you show your emotions well.”</p><p>Was this getting too personal? Maybe. But Akaashi was determined to finish what he'd started.</p><p>“Lastly, you eyes,” he said, trying to keep his voice from shaking. “The color is very unique... a rich golden. I, personally, have not met anyone else with eyes like yours. They are unparalleled.”</p><p>Akaashi ended it there, taking another deep breath and holding Bokuto’s gaze.</p><p>It was silent.</p><p>Not like before, though—this silence was full of a different type of tension, one that Akaashi wasn’t sure what to call. Bokuto was looking at him with a mixture of shock and intrigue. As if he was trying to figure something out right after being hit in the head with a rogue volleyball. Akaashi cleared his throat. </p><p>“So. That was my assessment, as a gay person, of how you look,” he said. “At least from my perspective, you are very attractive.”</p><p>After a few more beats of silence, Bokuto finally responded.</p><p>“Wow,” he breathed. “You think I’m hot.”</p><p>Now it was Akaashi’s turn to blush. But he still wouldn’t allow himself to lie.</p><p>“Yes, Bokuto-san.”</p><p>A smile broke out on the older boy’s face—one of those ridiculously infectious, eyes-squeezed-shut smiles that never failed to make Akaashi weak in the knees.</p><p>“That’s awesome, Akaashi! Knowing you think that, I don’t care if everyone else thinks I’m ugly!”</p><p>Akaashi blinked.</p><p>
  <em>What the hell does that mean?</em>
</p><p>But Bokuto didn’t give him time to dwell on it. He was already bounding away, grabbing a volleyball and skipping to the back line. “Let’s do another fifty spikes!”</p><p>“Twenty,” Akaashi countered. “At the most. You need to learn to conserve your strength, Bokuto-san.”</p><p>Bokuto whined but complied, and the two fell back into their routine. After finishing practice and cleaning up, they changed (Akaashi was certain the other boy had waited until he was watching to strip off his shirt) and began their trek home. They walked side-by-side, only slightly closer than the previous night, as Bokuto chatted about how excited he was for the next day's practice. </p><p>
  <em>Something feels different.</em>
</p><p>Akaashi could tell things had changed between them. His half-confession had taken a significant weight off his shoulders, and Bokuto’s reaction had given him something akin to hope.</p><p>He glanced at his friend, who was already looking at him. Bokuto’s face softened and he grinned.</p><p>Once again, Akaashi didn’t know what to say. But this time it was okay. </p><p>He smiled back.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Again, if you liked the story please feel free to leave a comment, and share it with your friends!<br/><a href="https://mari-writes.tumblr.com/post/615861780420476928/the-assessment">Tumblr</a> <br/><a href="https://twitter.com/mari_writes1/status/1276757502290325505">Twitter</a></p></blockquote></div></div>
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